Brand New 000-28 Total Disappointment

RichAlan · #1 09-30-2021, 06:04 PM

After searching for a new short scale acoustic I purchased a brand new one from a Martin dealer via reverb. Instrument straight out of the box.

Nut slots cut off center resulting in the treble E string positioned .5mm from the edge of the fret. Any pressure or vibrato would push the string off the neck

Truss rod fully loose and not enough neck relief. Possibly needs a neck reset from new.

Nothing like getting a brand new guitar and having to send it straight back to the factory for god knows how long.

Bob from Brooklyn · #2 09-30-2021, 06:11 PM

I would send it back to the seller.

Glennwillow · #3 09-30-2021, 06:16 PM

That's a shame, Rich.

I agree with Bob, ^^^ above. I would contact the seller to send it back to them and let them deal with it. I would think they would replace the guitar. It's worth a try.

I see this is your first post. Welcome to the AGF. I hope you like it here.

- Glenn

Coler · #4 09-30-2021, 06:18 PM

Send it back if you're not happy with it.

fenderball · #5 09-30-2021, 06:31 PM

send it back...try again...or something similar..but not that particular one

pickitPaul · #6 09-30-2021, 06:46 PM

Reverb will help you if there is any trouble returning it. That would be the way to go as mentioned already.

baw3 · #7 09-30-2021, 07:27 PM

Send it back. There is no excuse for you to receive a brand new guitar like that. Period. Especially if it needs a neck reset.

TiffanyGuitar · #8 09-30-2021, 07:30 PM

Had a similar experience a year ago with a brand new 000-28. And saw a bad issue with a 000-15 I tried to buy once. I will never try a Martin again.

Send it back to the seller.

dnf777 · #9 09-30-2021, 07:41 PM

Not saying Martin doesnt let a lemon slip out the door now and then, but that raises concern for a counterfeit scam. I find it hard to believe that any authorized Martin dealer would let that pass through their shop, let alone it getting past Martin checks. Any company with that volume cant be perfect, but thats pretty over the top.

SRL · #10 09-30-2021, 08:06 PM

Eh yeah stuff like that is par for the course for Martin IMO. Blame the pandemic, blame factory production, I dunno, but either way they need to improve their QC. I'd send it back.

jklotz · #11 09-30-2021, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SRL

Eh yeah stuff like that is par for the course for Martin IMO. Blame the pandemic, blame factory production, I dunno, but either way they need to improve their QC. I'd send it back.

I don't have any skin in the game, don't own a Martin after trying on 4 separate occasions, but to say that is "par for the course"? Are you basing this on personal experience or a first time poster who didn't provide any pics? Either way, I've never seen what the OP describes on any new Martin, and I've played a bunch of them. I'm not saying it can't happen, but to throw out a blanket statement like that doesn't echo my experience.

OP, return the guitar. Surely there is a return option for a brand new Martin. It was an authorized dealer you bought it from, yes?

wguitar · #12 09-30-2021, 08:49 PM

I agree with contacting the seller and have them arrange a return. May well be an honest mistake/oversight on their part, and the proof of that will be in how they handle the return. That is a great guitar model, so don't be discouraged.

Good luck!

Brick is Red · #13 09-30-2021, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichAlan

After searching for a new short scale acoustic I purchased a brand new one from a Martin dealer via reverb. Instrument straight out of the box.

Nut slots cut off center resulting in the treble E string positioned .5mm from the edge of the fret. Any pressure or vibrato would push the string off the neck

Truss rod fully loose and not enough neck relief. Possibly needs a neck reset from new.

Nothing like getting a brand new guitar and having to send it straight back to the factory for god knows how long.

Disappointing. I understand. Just as a matter of curiosity, what leads you to believe that it would need a neck reset?

Bob from Brooklyn · #14 10-01-2021, 05:28 AM

If you bought it through Reverb you do the return via Reverb. Go to the 'purchases' page, find your item, click on 'request refund' and proceed from there. IMO you should not be responsible for the shipping.

EZYPIKINS · #15 10-01-2021, 05:52 AM

Check the serial no. You say you bough new.

I just bought a new Martin OM-28. Upon checking the SN. I found my guitar was built in 2018. Three years sitting in a warehouse.

Yes, truss rod loose. Setup out of whack. But plays like a dream after my setup.

I do notice I can push string 1 off the fretboard. I attribute this to the width of the nut, being somewhat wider than my Gibson.

If I concentrate a bit I have no problem. At some point I may install a new nut. Kicking around maybe transferring the Gibson string spacing, at the nut, to the Martin.